Harnessing Mother Nature would be trillion-dollar pipedream

MRTMidland Reporter-Telegram

Published 12:00 pm, Monday, May 23, 2011

It seems like every time we open a newspaper or turn on the TV, America is experiencing another natural disaster, whether it's in the form of floods, tornadoes or wildfires. And maybe the worst thought of all comes from the fact we are entering the hurricane season.

We spend a great deal of time, energy and money fighting these natural disasters, and the devastating results left in the wake of these horrific events wreck our economies and drain our national budgets.

We wish there was a way to avoid these disasters -- or at least, gain from them. In the case of the recent flooding, we have heard more than one mention that it would be nice if we could take the deadly overflow of the Mississippi floods and divert it here to Texas where the water would be a welcome commodity in filling our lakes and streams.

Actually, that shouldn't be such a far-fetched idea. We certainly have the knowledge to perform such a task. After all, civilization from the beginning has survived by using techniques of moving water from where it is not needed to places where it is needed.

Would it take a lot of money to perform such a task? You bet -- upward to $2 trillion by one estimate that wouldn't necessarily target Texas, but does offer a plan to move water westward toward the water-starved states of Arizona and Nevada. But billions in federal aid will go toward disaster relief this year alone for flooding in the Mississippi River Delta region.

Over time it would appear to be a solid investment. Not only would you relieve the yearly strain of flooding, but you would save communities and create new economic opportunities for states where water resources are less available. It would solve so many of America's problems now and for the future.

Of course, this remains a pipe dream until we reach a national water crisis. Even then, this issue will split the nation down the middle.

States' rights will come into play. States with water will want exorbitant fees for water rights. Our own way of doing business probably will ensure that the water never ends up in the places where it is really needed.

While we can't help but be a bit pessimistic about this type of project, the truth remains that it can be done, turning tragedy into wealth for millions of people. It's a shame we couldn't find ways like this to harness Mother Nature rather than giving in to it.